


What could had been

by Asaliz



Series: Requests [2]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: AU, Azran Legacy Spoilers, Claire Lives AU, Curious Village Spoilers, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Miracle Mask Spoilers, Pandora's Box Spoilers, Unwound Future Spoilers, murder i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 09:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25348105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asaliz/pseuds/Asaliz
Summary: Her life could have ended that day, but someone decided to save her.(Parts of her life with Hershel.)
Relationships: Claire/Hershel Layton
Series: Requests [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1408393
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	What could had been

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this around a year ago, I remembered about it because of the HD Unwound Future release.  
> I was taking Layton Ship request on Wattpad, someone asked for a happy LayClaire.  
> So here you have another Claire lives AU. Hope It’s not similar to others.

She couldn’t avoid smiling to see him blushing after he received a kiss on the cheek.

“Why do you blush like that? We have been dating for three months.”

They were having a picnic next to a tree, under its shadow, resting a little from study.

“It just caught me off guard, that’s all.” He said while the red on his face got lighter, but just a little.

“I guess we didn’t have too much time to spent together until now, exams, essays… It has been a madness.”

They have spent a lot of time locked up reading and writing. Hershel’s friend, Clark, and his girlfriend, Brenda, also have been spending more time together the last days, but they have been dating for longer time.

Claire met them through Hershel.

“It sure took me some effort for you to notice I was flirting.” Laughed Claire, in the end she had to ask him out, because Hershel got nervous every time he tried.

“It’s not I didn’t notice… It’s…”

“It doesn’t matter, we are here now.” She said while resting her her on his shoulder.

They were just starting to know each other. Both of them were calm, but Claire was the most enthusiastic of the two.

They could just daydream about their future together.

°°°

In the end, Hershel couldn’t talk about marriage during the dinner. He was trying to get a work as a professor, she was working in something important, maybe… But, ¿If she thought it was too soon?

They were living together; he would have the chance to talk about it sometime later. He just needed to gain the courage to do it.

He had gifted her a beautiful pocket watch, and she had been very happy about it, since she had told him just once she would like to have one, and, she would confess later, she didn’t imagine he would remember it. He was really glad she liked it; he had been thinking a lot of possible gifts before choosing one.

°°°

He was finally a professor. He was exited. He was proud.

And he was still thinking when he would propose Claire…

She was very excited working on an important project, and spent a lot of time at work. But they managed to have dinner together almost every night.

Claire has gifted him an elegant top hat, claiming he looked like a gentleman. And, even if he didn’t consider himself vain, he liked how the hat made him look, despite finding it weird the first time he saw his reflection. He would leave aside his old red cap.

°°°

“I’m so tired!” Said Claire to her coworker.

“Are you still seeing the variables in the equations?” He said while spying the papers, and for an instant his expression showed… fear?

“What’s the matter, Dimitri? I know Bill said he would take this to the computing department to check the data on a simulation, but…”

“No, no… I mean, yes. Don’t worry so much. I will talk with Bill. Why don’t you go home?”

“Yes… Hershel must be waiting for me. But… I can’t leave the work just to you.”

“Go home with him…”

He seemed a little sad, but insisted and finally convinced her.

It was late when she arrived home- Hershel was asleep on the sofa, he probably has been waiting for her, and she felt a little guilty for not calling him. She looked for a blanket, and covered him, carefully so she won’t wake him up, and, even if it was not as comfortable as the bed, she sat at his side and fell asleep next to him.

°°°

It was early, and Claire was still sleeping, she had been working late. Hershel drank some tea with some bread, but he would wait until Claire was up to have breakfast with her.

He was surprised to hear someone knocking the door so early, they weren’t expecting any visits.

“Yes? Oh, Dimitri Allen, Right?” It was Claire’s coworker, if his memory didn’t fail.

“In person.” Hershel had the impression he wasn’t happy to see him, but that didn’t make sense, “Is Claire home?”

“I’m afraid she is still sleeping, she had been working late, I think she was checking some equations from…”

“From de experiment, of course, of course.” He smiled, but his smile was a little sad.

“Come in, do you want me to wake her up?”

He remained on his spot, without moving. “It’s not necessary” He searched on his pocket, and handed him an envelope, “Can I ask you something? Give this to Claire once everything is over.” Before Hershel could ask, he added “We made a sort of bet… itwon’t be the same if I give it to her myself… She will understand when she receives it. Don’t tell her anything earlier, yes?”

“Oh, sure.” An inside group joke, perhaps?

He was already leaving, but added, “You don’t know how lucky you are… I almost wish you would be there tomorrow…”

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing, I’m talking nonsense, I apologize, I haven’t sleep well either… Take care of Claire.”

He though it has been strange, but didn’t pay to much attention to it, soon Claire woke up and they took their breakfast together.

They had some time for themselves, Dimitri had told her they had delayed the experiment a few hours. Claire wasn’t very happy about it, but he gave her some reasons and she calmed down. Being later, Hershel was already free and would accompany her, at least to the entrance.

He had been hearing her with attention every day, she was as passionate about physics as he was for archeology. They liked that about each other.

But a phone call made them live the house in a hurry, interrupting the nice afternoon. On the way Claire was explaining to him something was wrong.

°°°

“Clive, dear! You’re fine!” A man and a woman run to hug a child Hershel had to retain while Claire went to warn the inhabitants of the building they had to evacuate, just as Dimitry asked her on the phone. He didn’t Understood why, but he managed to create a controlled fire to force people to evacuate the buildings near the lab.

“Mum! Dad!” They were thanking him for keeping their son away from the danger, and Claire for warning them from the danger, when an explosion interrupted them. They watched in horror how what was left of their homes was destroyed.

Hershel held Claire’s hand tightly, and then hugged her.

The center of the explosion was her work place.

She could had been there. The evacuated places were affected too…

It was a sad moment for Claire when she had to recognize the body of her colleague.

The letter that Dimitri left for her explained Bill knew the calculations didn’t give very bright results. And, knowingly, he was going to risk Claire. In some way, the letter confessed he murdered, by forcing him to stay during the experiment, and at the same time, his suicide, as he risked himself entering the machine.

Claire cried when she learned he had saved her. None of them understood why he did this instead of denunciating him. It seems Bill had contacts and desired to become a politician.

Hershel held her and Claire cryed for a long time.

“Oh, Hershel…”

“I’m here, Claire.”

And he was there to support her when she needed him, something he didn’t have when he lost his friend, he won’t let her go thought it alone.

°°°

It took a little longer until he proposed her, after everything she went thought.

Hershel knew very well what it was like to lose a friend and feel guilty about it. Hershel had shared with her his bad experience with Randall when he was younger, hoping his story could make her understand she could overcome this, even if it would take her time.

He couldn’t stop thinking he almost lost her that day.

But, finally, he bought the ring and asked her to marry him. His heart was full of joy when she told him yes. Since they have been living together for some time, they were not so nervous. They knew they got along. They were used to their disorganization, and the kind of arguments they could have.

The ceremony wasn’t big, but they invited friends and family. Some acquaintances from work as well.

Claire was beautiful in her dress, and Hershel looked very elegant.

Clark and Brenda travelled to London from Misthallery to attend to the wedding. Distance has affected their friendship, and it was good the ceremony gave them the excuse to see each other again. They still remembered when they have been on their wedding.

“Look how you had grown up, Luke!” Said Claire, and then added, looking at Brenda, “He looks just like you.”

Hershel blushed aster hearing Claire asking Brenda how they managed to raise Luke and work at the same time.

Clark laughed a little at his reaction, until Hershel reminded him how nervous he had been before Luke was born.

They hear a “Smile!” followed by a camera flash, “But it was not necessary to ask for a smile, you look so happy since the ceremony started.”

What could you expect? Both of them were daydreaming about their future together.

“Clive, how are you doing?” strangely, they have become friends since the incident. A rich lady has used her fortune to help those affected in the incident, because she was too old and had no heirs, she wanted to use her money in something good.

Clive had interest in photography, and he offered himself to be the photographer.

“Boy, you look as if you were Luke’s brother!” commented Clive to the newcomer.

Clive looked at him, then at his wife and lastly he observed Luke, who was still close to the new couple, his eyes widened in surprise seeing he was right. He wondered if he could make a joke to his parents.

“That guy is your weird neighbor, isn’t he?” Asked Clive pointing one of the guests, after taking a picture of him next to Luke to keep as a memento.

“That’s Paul.” Said Claire, “You shouldn’t be calling people weird. He studied at Gresenheller with us.”

But Hershel couldn’t avoid to agree with him, Paul was very eccentric, now and then they heard an explosion caused by some invention.

“Didn’t you tell me you had to call the firefighters a couple of times?” whispered Clark next to him.

The party was really pleasant.

Hershel was surprised by a mysterious congratulation card, with a very ugly handwriting, as signature just had the initials D. S.

“And this night will be just for us.” Whispered Claire at his ear, she always managed to make him blush, and later Clive would give him a photo with him red as a tomato with his beautiful wife whispering on his ear.

°°°

“If it’s a girl, we will call her Celeste. It’s the name my parents were going to chose for me, but finally decided to call me Claire instead. I like it a lot though. And if it’s a boy?”

Claire was pregnant, four months, and they were choosing the name for the baby.

“Theodore.” Hershel wasn’t sure why he said that name, he didn’t really think about it.

“Are you nervous about this?”

“Yes. And you?” Now he felt a little silly for making fun of Clark at the wedding.

“Of course…

But I think we will do it fine.”

And they could always ask their parents for help. Lucille, his mother, was especially excited about becoming a grandmother.

°°°

“Mum, when does dad come back?” asked her little girl. She had Hershel’s eyes, detail repeated by anyone who saw her, and her hair had a very reddish tone, but they didn’t where it came from. Hershel never met his biological family.

“He just left.” Answered Claire, smiling. She came to see he hadn’t forgotten anything important in the office, and to wait the assistant the university hired, to tell her where Hershel had gone.

Someone knocked the door.

“Come in!” Said the girl, who was now wearing her father’s hat.

“Celeste.” She said softly, “be careful with daddy’s hat.” He used to wear it at all times, but Claire felt a little guilty he did it, know he used it only during his classes. It was his personal seal.

A young brunette woman entered; she seemed a little confused.

“Excuse me… Is this Professor Layton’s office?” She looked ac Claire with more attention, “Oh, you must be Mrs. Layton.”

“Yes, I’m Claire Layton.” It had taken her some time to get used to her last name when she married. “You must be her new assistant, right? He just left, he asked me to wait for you.”

The woman got distracted looking at the girl, and smiled.

“Oh, what a terrible assistant I am, I should have accompanied him…

I’m Emmy Altava, a pleasure.”

Claire looked at her with attention, “I remember you… you were the girl Hershel helped some time ago, isn’t that right? How have you been?”

Her eyes widened in surprise, “Do you remember me?” she blushed a little.

“Sure, but don’t expect Hershel to do it, he is not so good remembering faces.

I will give you the address, if you want to go with him.”

°°°

“Are you going to the opera with Luke?” She asked him while he played with Celeste on the living room. Luke had begged his parents to become Hershel’s apprentice, so he was accompanying him to solve mysteries. Clark was happy to move back to London, after what happened to his family before Hershel went to help them.

“Yes, an ex-student of mine wants my help.

I suspect is the same person who attacked Luke’s town.”

“Be careful, then.

Emmy won’t be going with you? I will be happier if she goes along.”

Hershel laughed softly, “She sure knows how to fight.”

“But you know fencing.” Added Claire, not wanting to make him feel less.

“True, but I prefer to avoid a fight.”

“I know, my perfect gentleman.”

°°°

“I still can’t believe your friend was alive…”

He has just returned from Mont D’Or, where he had another encounter with Descole, a strange character.

“Neither could I. I am so happy… but his madness saddened me, I’m glad he was able to react in the end.”

“You felt guilty, didn’t you?”

“Yes…” Hershel looked at her sadly, he knew she blamed herself about Dimitri. “And how were you two? We should make a trip together…”

“Maybe when Celeste grows up, she is still to young to go with you, and my work doesn’t allow me to travel… But don’t worry about it, we will do it someday.”

Hershel was grateful they were patient with him and his travels.

°°°

“Her hair is just like yours, Professor Sycamore.” She commented to Hershel’s colleague, the one who asked for his assistance with an unusual archeological discovery.

“Ah, yes…” He looked like a serious person, and the comment seemed to surprise him, “I apologize for keeping your husband away. This will take us some time.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I will bring you some souvenirs, at least.” Said Hershel before leaving.

Celeste was admiring the Bostonius, while Luke told her they had flied on it. At his side was the mysterious girl they had found in the ice.

“Take care, Hershel.”, “Bye, dad, have a nice trip.”

“I’m going to miss you. I will call every time I got a chance.”

°°°

“How is Luke feeling? Brenda told me he’s been sad after losing his friend.”

“Yes… he is really affected. Many things happened on this trip.”

“It’s a shame Emmy decided to leave. And…

What about your brother?” She asked curious, what her husband told her about his family surprised her.

“I didn’t see him after the temple fell…

I believe he is fine, but I don’t know if he wants to see me again.”

“We don’t know now…

You know…Celeste’s hair color is the same as his.”

“Yes, I noticed.” He said while caressing his daughter’s hair, who was calmly sleeping between the two, sitting on the couch. He then kissed Claire’s cheek softly. He felt happy to be with them.

“We should be together on the next travel.”

°°°

Finally, they decided to make the next trip together, so the entire family could spend some time together. Sadly, Luke’s parents couldn’t take days off their works easily, it would have been nice to have both families together.

Someone had sent Hershel a letter asking his help to solve an inheritance dispute. The small village was charming, but had a slight sensation of abandonment.

After introducing themselves to Lady Dahlia, Claire and Celeste spend their time walking around the village, while Luke and Hershel were solving the mystery.

There were moments when they felt someone was following them.

A strange turn of events lead Hershel to discover the father of a girl, Baron Reinhold, ordered to build this town, with its inhabitants as guardians, waiting for someone able to make his daughter smile. The young girl didn’t want to take her inheritance, because that would stop the entire village.

“Are you going to be my older sister?” asked Celeste, very excited with the idea, when they were going back to London, with an unexpected new member for their family.

The girl could only smile at her, she seemed to like the idea, and the apple mark was visible for almost the entire trip, until she fell asleep.

°°°

Flora got used to her new life little by little. At the beginning she wasn’t very sure how to move around the city, but she learned with some patience.

She became close to Celeste, they spent time together when the others were not around.

“Mum.” She blushed, “I mean, Mrs. Layton.”

Claire smiled, flattered, but didn’t make any comment when she saw her reaction, “Yes, what it is, Flora?”

“I… wanted to know if you could teach me how to cook…

I like it very much, but nothing I do tastes good.”

“Ha ha, you flatter me. I’m not the best at cooking either… If you want, we can try to prepare something now.

What do you think if we ask Rosa later?”

Flora and Celeste didn’t fight with each other, none of the two had a strong character. And they both were well behaved, but if necessary, Claire was the one to put some order.

°°°

Claire was with Celeste in the hospital, keeping company to Dr. Scheder while Hershel, along with Luke, were trying to solve a mystery around the Elisian box, traveling on the Molentary Express.

Luckily, he was just unconscious, Hershel parted convinced he was death, and wanted to solve the mystery on his memory.

She convinced him to take Flora with them. Celeste wasn’t specially interested in mysteries as Luke or her father, but she never refused a good puzzle.

Paul has come to left some flowers, he had been his professor on Gressenheller as well, just like he had been Clark’s, who arrived when he was already awake.

Hershel, Luke and Flora came back with a fantastic history, about a hidden town and a love history.

°°°

She was sure it was him. Had she seen a ghost, on the tenth anniversary of his death?

She had been taking a walk with her family, and Luke was accompanying them, he wanted to spend time with them before moving overseas.

Even Clive came along, offering to take some pictures.

When she was buying candies for everybody, she saw him again. It was late. He was wearing the same clothes the day he died.

“I’m glad you have found happiness, even if I couldn’t be with you.” And then he disappeared.

Once they were at home, she told Hershel what happened, since he asked her what was on her mind, seeing her so distracted.

“Do you think it was his ghost?”

“I don’t know.”

He kissed her softly. “I wouldn’t change this for anything. I have you, and two beautiful girls.”

“And Luke is practically part of the family.” She laughed, and hugged him tightly.

They would go together to said godbye to Luke and his family, but they would keep in touch, by sending letters at least.

“And we have many years to come.

How it will be our future together?” She asked with a dreamy tone.

“It would be beautiful with you.”

And this time, Hershel made her blush.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! Personally, I think I this story ended up a little bit cliché, with a little bit of nonsense just to make it happy, but it’s okay.  
> I usually don’t read LayClaire centered stories, I hope is not very similar to others.  
> I didn't remember it was so long!


End file.
